From related art, a scanning probe microscope has been used as an apparatus which inspects a fine surface shape of a sample. In the scanning probe microscope, by relatively moving the probe to the surface of the sample and scanning the probe, a change in a physical quantity (such as a tunnel current or an interatomic force) acting between the probe and the sample surface during scanning is detected. Further, by performing a feedback-control of the relative position of the probe to keep the physical quantity constant during scanning, the surface shape of the sample can be measured on the basis of the feedback amount.
When observing the sample using such a scanning probe microscope, it is necessary to dispose the sample in a stable state in order to prevent the sample from moving during observation. From this point, for example, the sample is set at an observation position in a state of being held in a dedicated sample container (see, for example, Patent Literature 1 below).
In the fixing method described in the following Patent Literature 1, by applying an adhesive to a groove provided in a sample container, and by disposing a sample in the sample container in that state, the sample is fixed to the sample container by adhesion. Further, the sample container of the state in which the sample is fixed is set on the stage of the scanning probe microscope, and observation of the sample is performed.
As a result, observation can be performed in a state in which the sample is fixed.    [Patent Literature 1] Japanese Patent No. 5510400